Chichicastenango, also known as Santo Tomás Chichicastenango, is a town in the El Quiché department of Guatemala, known for its traditional K'iche' Maya culture. The Spanish conquistadors gave the town its name from the Nahuatl name used by their soldiers from Tlaxcala: Tzitzicaztenanco, or City of Nettles. Its original name was Chaviar. Chichicastenango serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name. Chichicastenango is a large indigenous town, lying on the crests of mountaintops at an altitude of 1,965 m (6,447 ft). It is located about 140 km (87 mi) northwest of Guatemala City.

chichicastenango is well known for its famous market days on Thursdays and Sundays where vendors sell handicrafts, food, flowers, pottery, wooden boxes, condiments, medicinal plants, candles, pom and copal (traditional incense), cal (lime stones for preparing tortillas), grindstones, pigs and chickens, machetes, and other tools. In the central part of the market plaza are small eateries (comedores). Among the items sold are textiles, particularly the women's blouses. The manufacture of masks, used by dancers in traditional dances, such as the Dance of the Conquest, have also made this city well-known for woodcarving.

Font: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichicastenango

Chichicastenango, has the most famous handicraft market in the country. This is the best place to buy local textiles, jewelry, carvings etc. There is also a mayan ceremo-nial site Pascual Abaj a short walk from the plaza and the famous Santo Tomas Church , and a small museum with Pre-Colombian and colonial artifacts. Return to Xela or get connecting transport to Antigua or Panajachel.